A Georgia freshman is facing a felony forgery charge over allegations of passing a counterfeit $100 bill last summer, the third player to be arrested since the Bulldogs won the Southeastern Conference championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Defensive back Latavious Brini was taken into custody Tuesday evening by the Clarke County sheriff's office.

Flush with a new long-term deal, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn likes where his program stands long-term and where the Tigers are headed in the near future. Malzahn's seventh-ranked Tigers are set to begin preparation Friday for the Peach Bowl against No. 10 UCF (12-0, No. 12 College Football Playoffs) in their second straight New Year's Day bowl game. The Volunteers hired Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt instead.

Tommy Nobis, the first player drafted by the expansion Atlanta Falcons and a hard-hitting middle linebacker who was never fully recognized for his talents on a struggling franchise that failed to make the playoffs during his long career, died Wednesday. The team said he died at his suburban Atlanta home after an extended illness with his wife of more than 50 years, Lynn, at his side. Nobis was among hundreds of ex-NFL players who struggled with physical and cognitive ailments after their careers ended, having played in an era when no one paid much attention to the lingering impact of concussions nor thought twice about groggily going back on the field after a shot to the head.

Hall of Fame college football coach Lou Holtz is suing The Daily Beast over an article that claimed he called immigrants ''deadbeats'' at last year's Republican National Convention in Cleveland. The federal lawsuit filed Wednesday in Orlando, where Holtz lives, claims an article published by the news website on July 19, 2016, defamed Holtz, causing him to lose paid speaking opportunities and suffer personal humiliation.

Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen says his injured throwing shoulder is better than 90 percent recovered, but it's still too early to say whether he will be able to play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Dec. 22. Allen has been mentioned among the top quarterback prospects in next year's NFL draft.

Wisconsin linebacker Jack Cichy has decided to enter the NFL draft, foregoing a chance to ask the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility because of a right knee injury. Cichy announced his decision in a story posted Tuesday on The Players Tribune website. Arguably Wisconsin's best player, Cichy was on preseason watch lists for postseason awards when he got hurt during a special teams drill in training camp.

Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said he will support quarterback Jacob Park if he intends to transfer to another school. Campbell released a statement Monday night after the Des Moines Register quoted Park as saying he asked for a release from his scholarship. Park, a junior, was Iowa State's starting quarterback until early October, when he went on an indefinite leave of absence.

Sonny Dykes didn't even have to finish the story of his favorite SMU memory to stir some in the crowd who showed up to greet the Mustangs' new coach. All he had to say was 1982, Lubbock and Texas Tech - and never mind that the thrilling SMU win on a last-second kickoff return was at the expense of the school that would later become the longtime coaching home of Dykes' late dad, Spike Dykes, and his alma mater. How all of that came about explains better than anything why Dykes considers it a homecoming to replace Chad Morris on the Hilltop, even though he had already been back in his home state - and the Dallas-Fort Worth area - for a year.

Arizona State defensive coordinator Phil Bennett will not be on new Sun Devils coach Herm Edwards' staff. Bennett said after practice on Tuesday he was leaving the program for personal and health reasons. Edwards retained the entire offensive staff, including coordinator Billy Napier, and had hoped to keep Bennett after being hired on Dec. 3.